New Responsibilities and Fresh Faces on LGBT Democrats of Virginia Board

March 16, 2017

LGBT Democrats of Virginia elect officers to the organization’s board in March of odd-numbered years. Participation in the election is open to any person with an active membership on January 1st. This year, thirteen board members were either re-elected or elected. One Board member was elected to a new position. There is one new addition to the Board.

Maggie Sacra was reelected as Chair of LGBT Democrats of Virginia. She was uncontested. Maggie was first elected as Chair in 2012 and was reelected in 2015. Maggie served as the 1st Vice Chair and then the Chair of the Caroline County Democratic Committee, and is very proud of the committee being named a Committee of the Year by the Democratic Party of Virginia during her time as chair. She is now a member of the Chesterfield County Democratic Committee and serves on their Executive Board. Maggie has served as a member of the 1st Congressional District Committee, and now serves on the 7th Congressional District Committee and the Steering Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia

The only contested Board position this year was Executive Vice-Chair. Linh Hoang was elected to the position in 2015 and did not seek reelection. Two board members sought election to this position; Bob Martin, who served as Vice-Chair for Candidate Endorsement, and Victoria Kidd, who served as an At-Large Member. Victoria Kidd was elected as the new Vice-Chair of LGBT Democrats of Virginia. She is a long-time LGBTQ activist, as well as the owner of a safe space coffee house and gathering hall in Winchester. As one of the four plaintiffs in the ACLU’s case for marriage equality, She had numerous opportunities to hear first-hand how LGBT families are impacted by discriminatory laws.

Michael Armstead is a new face on the Board. He was elected as an At-Large Member. Michael is a lifelong Virginia resident with a strong commitment to inclusion, diversity, and the spirit of public service. He received his BA in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2014, and is currently a 2L at the University of Richmond School of Law.

Thank you to all those who served on the Board for the 2015-2017 term, those who will continue to serve, and all those who participated in the election. Ballots will be kept for thirty-days should anyone desire to review them.

About the Author

Joel McDonald serves as the Vice-Chair for Technology and Communications for LGBT Democrats of Virginia. He has also served in a number of roles within the Virginia Beach Democratic Committee, including webmaster, treasurer, and precinct and elections director. Joel won election to the Virginia Beach School Board in 2012 and is running for reelection this year. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Old Dominion University. Joel provides web development and communications services through his business, Comit Strategies.